There are a number of opinions about the benefits of juicing. I'm not a dietician so I don't want to provide a point of view on the various pros and cons. However, what is basic fact is that fruits and vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. And, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of us aren't eating enough of them. Juicing is simply one way to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet. It's also a way to mix together certain less appetizing fruits and vegetables with those you do like to create flavorful and healthy combinations. What is missing from juicing is fiber, since the pulp is removed when the juice extracted. So, including fiber elsewhere in your diet is also important. That can come from adding back some of the pulp to your juice, using the pulping in other recipes, or eating additional whole fruits and vegetables.

As I put together these three simple recipes, I used the USDA's National Nutrient Database to get an estimate of the nutritional content of these juice combinations. Each recipe yields about 16 ounces of juice, which could be two servings. The nutritional information I've shared is for the full 16 ounces, so if you are limiting yourself to one serving, divide these numbers in half. Also, these numbers are based on the whole fruit or vegetable, not just the juice, since the database doesn't provide information in that form. As a result, these numbers are somwhate higher than what they should be for the juice alone. I've provided a link to the database as well. Should you have quesitons about other fruits and vegetables, you can get search for that information.

As you can see from the numbers below, the fruit based juice combinations are high in sugars. If you have any health issues, like diabetes, be sure to consult with a professional before getting into juicing.

*estimate is based on whole fruits and vegetables, not just juice. Actual numbers for juice alone, especially dietary fiber, are lower because of the removal of the pulp. Source: USDA National Agricultural Database